Hi! My son is new to rowing but is very athletic. He is a junior, 6’5" and is starting out sculling. Because he’s pretty strong/in shape he seems to be progressing well and his club put him on their Varsity team. Can you tell me how timing works for the recruiting process? Is he just too darn late to participate or could he email coaches in the Spring?
Definitely not too late. I highly recommend that you read the entirety of the Rowing Class of 2017 recruiting threat on this website - it is the best thread that I’ve found so far on rowing and recruiting. I’m not sure if your son is a heavyweight or a lightweight, but that will make a difference in the erg scores comparisons. Erg scores are hugely important - probably too important - in the recruiting process. He definitely needs to keep focused on his academics, bringing his 2K erg score as low as possible by the end of his junior year, and getting a lot of experience on the water . Hopefully he loves the sport - that will be perhaps the most important factor and his ability to excel at the sport. I also recommend reading the reddit rowing site - there is some great information there too. He’s got great height for the sport. Good luck.
@newtocrew
Not too late! But at 6’5" he’s probably too tall for lightweight so I’m assuming HWT. And yes read the many threads here about rowing recruiting process. Very helpful! Is he only sculling? Hope he’s getting some sweep experience as that’s the primary focus of US collegiate teams.
Thanks so much BigTex00 and tonymom – yes, he’s definitely HW because he’s 185. Thanks for your encouragement. Stay tuned!!!
He’s only sculling for right now, but maybe he’ll sweep in the future
@newtocrew
I’d really see if his club can get him some sweep experience or if he can get some at another club during a camp session offered over school breaks. Sculling is wonderful, especially in small boats as he will be a pro with “boat feel” but sweep experience is important as well.
He’s got great height for HWT 
Wouldn’t worry too much around sweep rowing.
My son was just recruited to row lightweight at IVY league school and his experience is almost exclusively sculling.
Erg score and/or on the water results will get you in the game.
It does appear to be getting more difficult to get recruited each year.
For us, OTW results from Summer regattas were the difference between getting recruited and being left out.
Highly recommend that you pick a really good club for the Summer.
HUGE congratulations to your son – a great achievement. Hmmmm. I really am very newtocrew – in the summer, don’t the kids just continue rowing with their normal club team? Forgive my ignorance but what is OTW? On the water? Do the summer camps at the various universities help? Thank you for any info!!!
Tonymom is historically quite accurate. My son started off sculling, and it was great for boat feel, but after a summer with the JNT, the coaches all suggested moving over to sweep, which he did. He sculled for one year and then moved over to sweep at the beginning of this school year. He is not quite 6’5", but almost, and he seems to be better suited for sweep. I’m not sure, but it seems like most of the really good scullers are slightly smaller – unless they are from Sarasota. If that is where your son rows, keep sculling, as they have awesome sculling coaches there! Also, as far as summer goes, it depends on your son’s birth year. If he is '99 or younger, he could go to a USRowing JNT “id camp” where they scout kids for summer camps. If you go on to the USRowingjrs website, you can find info there, but basically the id camps (usually a half-day session at areas around the country) have the kids erg a 2k and show their rowing technique on the water. They traditionally like tall boys, and they usually set specific standards for 2k times. There are 3 levels of camp during the summer (development, high performance and selection) and the kids all train and compete with other kids from around the country who are serious about the sport. Some club teams do train and compete during the summer, but the USRowing camps try to select the more serious athletes.
@QuadQueen as mentioned certainly look into USRowing Camps. They are wonderful experiences and your son will get a sense of the top rowing community. It’s also a great way to connect with other rowers. My son is still in contact with the guys he met his sophomore year! Act soon though as the “try outs”, sorry forgot what they are actually called, happen soon. Good luck!
Thanks so much for all this advice, QuadQueen and TonyMom – love mom info!! My son is now signed up for one of the ID camps, so we’ll see. It’s hard to imagine that he would make a camp given that this is his novice year? But as a jr, I guess the timing is what it is. I assume the colleges only pay attention to the top level of camps? Do you have any particular summer programs you think are especially strong? Sparks rowing camps? Someone told us that the specific college rowing camps do nothing for recruiting, so that seems to be low on our priority list. Sorry for so many questions but our family is trying to learn fast!
Oakland Strokes, PennAC and Sarasota are all top notch. You are correct with regard to specific college run rowing camps as they do nothing for recruiting chances specifically.
As to your son being a novice I’ve heard of plenty of recruits who were novice rowers but accomplished in other vigorous sports that were recruited. If he’s a strong athlete, has the dedication and is coax able the programs will take notice!
Not “coax” able but coachable! Stupid auto correct 
Depending on his times, he could definitely make a JNT camp! Just for what it is worth, my son was just a novice when he was invited to attend the “high performance” camp, which is technically the mid-level camp. There were possibly several other novices at the Development Camp (not sure, since they did not camp at the same location.) And the summer before last, there was another novice at HP camp, so for the last 2 years at least, novices with potential have been invited to HP. Just be sure to check out the standards as posted online at USRowingjrs – they tend to be pretty open about their requirements (usually age, erg times, and often height.)